


Neighbors

by Feelingsismykink



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: AU, AU no girlfriends no wives, Eventual Smut, M/M, Noisy neighbor, Some pining, neighbors to lovers, rhink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-02-05
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:47:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22578055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Feelingsismykink/pseuds/Feelingsismykink
Summary: Rhett is rudely disturbed by a noisy neighbor...
Relationships: Rhett McLaughlin/Link Neal
Comments: 13
Kudos: 101





	Neighbors

**Author's Note:**

> EDIT!!!  
> I’ve amended this piece so it has no basis in any real persons experience after getting some comments and messages.
> 
> This was prompted by Floral Crown Rhett and it’s for them.
> 
> I’d been itching to write again so I hope this is fun! 
> 
> Uh...no beta 😁😁😁

Rhett has had a _day_. He’s been frazzled and yelled at and he hadn’t brought enough for lunch. So now he’s at home, tucked up into his couch waiting for his 9 bean chili to be ready in his insta pot. 

He’s got music playing and he’s fiddling with his phone and he finally feels like he’s beginning to relax.

Rhett feels the tiny rush of adrenaline before he registers what caused it; from outside, he can hear screaming. Serious, shrill screaming. He hears “help” and “please” and a lot of “Oh God”. The adrenaline is real now. He acts without thinking and dials 911 on his phone and leaps to the window, hoping to see where someone is obviously being murdered or attacked.

His heart is pounding as the operator picks up

“911 what is your emergency?”

“UM HELLO I’m at 9374 Walnut Place and I hear screaming and I think something really bad is happening—“

The operator speaks slow and asks more questions, but Rhett’s heart is pounding when he gets off the phone, ears straining to hear what is happening. His mind is racing; should he try to find the person? Knock on other neighbors doors for help? What if the attacker has a gun or knife?

Rhett blanches when he recognizes some new words...was that? Oh hell. The person is now screaming about cock. Big fat cock to be exact. Rhett takes a second to be sure, and now that he’s a little calmer, Rhett can still hear high pitched screaming and cursing, but now there are more shouts of “yes”, and does it sound less pained than before?

Rhett feels his whole face flush red. Shit. A neighbor is having sex. That's all. Fuck! And he just called the cops on them. Rhett bounds out into the hallway as he hears sirens in the distance, rushing to the front door to meet the police.

The officers, a man and a woman, seem irritated at first, but then laugh heartily when they hear the noises this apparently insatiable neighbor is making. They speak into their radios and leave, Rhett fully consumed in frustration and embarrassment.

Rhett returns to his apartment, angry and now totally lost to the idea of a soothing night at home. 

How rude and inconsiderate is this neighbor? Surely he knows he can be heard, and it’s been like 30 minutes, he can’t be going this long?! This is obviously a sick and selfish person. 

Rhett tries to let it go, tries to forget it happened but every time he tries to focus on something else, his dinner, a tv show, his shower, he’s mortified all over again. 

No, this has nothing to do with the fact that Rhett’s been single for over a year now, hasn’t had sex in months. He’d recently begun to come to terms with his bisexuality, a facet of his personality long locked away and ignored, so everything about dating feels a little overwhelming right now. Rhett’s not _jealous_ he’s merely a busy _adult_ with a _job_ who hasn’t gotten around to being railed like a pornstar lately. Rhett lets out a sad sigh. Let’s be honest. His last relationship, which was with a woman was never what one would call passionate, the last time he tried to have sex it was tense and awkward and that was part of the reason Rhett hadn’t put much work into finding anyone else.

Rhett was back to being pissed now. How dare a neighbor, _in his own home_ make him sad and jealous and frustrated on an already shitty day. 

Rhett decides to send a note to the neighbor. He finds a blank piece of paper and his brightest red sharpie:

“HI

I COULD HEAR YOU HAVING SEX AND THOUGHT YOU WERE LITERALLY BEING MURDERED SO I CALLED 911. THESE ARE SOME THIN WALLS”

Ah yes. That felt better. Some nice information to avoid further wasting of civic time and resources while also hopefully encouraging a bit of consideration for others…

Rhett frowns and adds an post script, a little more kindly this time:

“Ps it was mortifying to tell cops you were having sex not being murdered”

Rhett folded the paper and walked to the offending neighbor ( Rhett could tell he lived directly below him) where he quickly and quietly slipped the paper under the door. No, Rhett did _not_ speedwalk his way out of sight, thank you very much.

The rest of Rhett’s week was a little less terrible, but he was still incredibly relieved to be home a few days later. As he opened his front door he’s startled to find a white sheet of paper folded on the floor. 

Rhett’s stomach does a flip. Shit. It’s probably from the loud neighbor. Rhett is a big man. Tall, but he hates conflict, doesn’t do it well and generally wants to be liked. He’d only written the note because he was upset and still coming down from the adrenaline, probably and had done his best to make sure it was anonymous.

Rhett takes a deep breath and puts down his things, locks his door and picks up the note.

The script is bubbly and annoyingly happy looking. Big friendly round letters chirp:  
  


“Hello Neighbor,

I want to first of all apologize for any distress or disturbance I’ve caused. I hope to have friendly and respectful relationships with all my neighbors. Sunday night I had some wine and completely unaware and inconsiderate of how noisy I was. I am mortified and I promise it will never happen again.

As a show of my most profound apologies, feel free to reach out so we can go out for coffee or a drink, on me!

Sincerely,

Link”

Rhett’s mouth dropped open. The neighbor had also, bafflingly left his phone number?!? Rhett was relieved the note was polite and friendly, but mostly in awe of this person’s confidence. To acknowledge and apologize for something like that...but then also to sign his name?? And offer his phone number?!?!? Rhett couldn't even begin to imagine the self assuredness this person possessed. 

Now of course Rhett wouldn’t call him, absolutely not, but he couldn’t help but smile as he refolded the note and went to the kitchen to make himself some food.

A few weeks had passed when Rhett went down to the laundry room one evening. He was startled to find someone already in there—the building is small and Rhett made sure to do his laundry any time but on weekends so he would have the machines to himself.

The man moving his clothes from the washer to dryer was tall and slender. He wore joggers and a t-shirt, both items well fitted; the soft fabric pulled and stretched in just a few places, namely his broad shoulders and small round ass and Rhett was treated to a sliver of lower back when he bent over to collect more clothing. The man spoke without looking, “hey, sorry I’ll be out of your way in a sec,”

Rhett might have been trying to offer an intelligent response like “no problem” or “take your time” but instead garbled a noise that had a few consonant sounds but no meaning in human language.

Rhett knew he was bright red when the stranger turned, eyebrows tented in confusion and perhaps a little concern to look at Rhett for the first time. Rhett was desperately working to get his clumsy, stupid tongue to cooperate when he felt the breath knocked out of him by the eyes that were on him now.

The man was wearing glasses, dark and prominent frames that complimented his angular face well, but even behind glasses, his deep set eyes shone in the yellow light of the room. Rhett had never seen that color blue, and they _twinkled._ They were somehow both icy and so warm and welcoming. 

As this stranger took in Rhett’s stunned features, a smirk revealed white teeth and pleasantly full lips. The dark haired man leaned one hip against the nearest dryer and folded his arms, looking very much like he had all the time in the world to wait for Rhett to get his shit together.

Rhett actually shook his head, imagining a rattling sound coming from his useless fucking brain as he closed his eyes for a second, hoping to navigate his way out of this completely humiliating interaction

“No! Sorry. Don’t worry—“ Rhett was able to blurt, and opened his eyes again.

“Sorry! Usually no one’s here on weeknights, you caught me off guard”

“Of course! No problem, neighbor. This basement has always been kind of spooky anyway.”

_Of course_ his voice is like butter, bright and warm with just a hint of accent. He reaches a hand out to Rhett and says “Nice to meet ya, I’m Link, in 1B, kind of new here.”

“Uh...huh….buh…” _Shit_

Of course it’s that neighbor. Well he surely doesn’t know who Rhett is, right?

“I’m, I’m Rhett, nice to meet you.” Rhett clasps Link’s outstretched hand and prays that his panic-sweaty hands don’t completely horrify Link.

_It’s fine, this is fine, I’m just another neighbor, just be friendly so he can leave and you’ll never see each other again._

Rhett is trying to come up with some polite small talk when Link chimes in “aren’t you in 2B? Above me?”

_Fuck._

Rhett’s poor, exhausted brain gives up. Rhett turns away, opens the washing machine so he can begin dumping his clothes in and flee. 

Link actually walks around the machine and bends a little so he can find Rhett’s eyes with his.

“Hey, sorry again if I caused any trouble before, you know…”

Rhett’s jaw is clenched 

“S’no problem, don’worry.”

“I was disappointed you didn’t reach out for coffee or anything? It would be nice to have a friend in the building. I mean besides Mrs Levinson...she always seems a little too sloshed to make a good coffee buddy.” Link lets a little giggle out.

Rhett finds himself nodding, smiling just a bit. Mrs Levinson always smells like wine when she gets too close at the mailboxes to complain about the weather or the building or anything else she can.

Link plows on “you sure I can’t tempt you? I can’t find a place I like around here...you’d be doing me a favor.”

Rhett is horrified to realize he has nodded again. “Great! Can I have your phone? I’ll text myself and we can find a good time to meet up.”

Rhett obliges. Link types quickly and hands the phone back. Link finishes moving his laundry along in silence and leaves the room with an effortless “see ya!”

When the door closes behind him, Rhett practically collapses on the machine in front of him. How had that happened so fast? How had he been such an idiot? Rhett was a little shy, but had _some_ capacity for flirting, usually, but Link was other worldly...gorgeous and kind and seemed unaffected by Rhett being a complete fucking moron.

Only once Rhett is back in his apartment does he look at the new contact in his phone. Link has entered his name and number, texted himself a little smiley face, but next to his first name, is the little silhouette of a human head, mouth open, lines indicating shouting.

Rhett can’t help but laugh.

He also can’t help but remember the noises from the night with the call to 911. Now that he has a face, a mouth, a body to associate those screams with, he can’t stop himself from imagining what compelled him to scream bloody murder, beg for cock, plead for mercy, for relief, whatever. Now Rhett can imagine his head thrown back, lips pink and bitten, back arched.

Rhett stubbornly refuses to touch himself to these images, as decadent and perfect they are, he's not an animal, but he dreams about Link, Rhett can’t remember much but the feel of Link’s skin, the cries Rhett swallows with deep kisses, and Rhett wakes as he’s cumming alone in his bed, has to gasp for air before getting up to change his boxers and try to get a little more sleep.

Link is sweet, and persistent over text, gently encouraging Rhett to agree to a time to meet in the lobby and walk to a nearby coffee shop Rhett has identified as acceptable.

Rhett is positively nauseous the morning of their coffee date. He’s styled his voluminous curls into a shape he doesn’t hate, oiled his beard and folded up the sleeves on a forest green flannel. Rhett knows the color makes his eyes look brighter, and tries not to panic.

Link smiles wide when he makes eye contact with Rhett “hey, neighbor!”

Rhett smiles, the apples of his cheeks betraying the happiness he’s trying to keep from spilling out. As they start their walk, Rhett finds it’s a little easier to talk when he’s not staring into the blue eyes he can’t shake from his dreams. 

“So I just wanted to apologize again for that note...I didn’t mean to be shitty or judgmental…”

Link laughs again, claps Rhett on the back, but manages to graze down Rhett’s arm as he drops his hand. Rhett shivers a little. 

“No no! Don’t worry about it! I haven’t lived with neighbors in a bit, and I should have been more thoughtful, I’m sorry it was scary!”

Rhett joins him in laughing now, and that seems to break the ice enough for Rhett to feel more comfortable, the two are able to have an actual conversation, sharing some history, until they get to the coffee shop. Rhett orders a tea, and Link orders a nitro cold brew, whatever that is, and the two men take a table.

Rhett waits for a lull in the conversation when he brings up what’s been bugging him for some time.

“So...your boyfriend, how long have you been together?”

Link quirks his head in confusion, one of his devastating little smirks making Rhett’s heart stutter.

“Oh I don’t have a boyfriend…” Rhett can’t help but watch Link’s eyelashes as he looks at the table “that was—Josh isn’t my boyfriend.”

Rhett is sure he does a terrible job at hiding his smile, but he moves the conversation along to other topics.

The two begin to text more, and then go out for a drink, and a couple times meet in each other’s apartments for movies when Link is excited to see something, or when Rhett has made too much food for dinner.

Rhett loves movie nights with Link because Link is completely focused on the movie, won't even eat during them because,as he says it, the artist put work and thought into every moment on screen, he doesn’t want to miss anything. This means that while Link is transfixed, Rhett can stare at Link’s profile. Rhett admires his long neck, his lithe arms often curled around his legs especially when the movie is tense or a little scary. Rhett watches the exaggerated startles and jumps, watches him worry at his lips or chew his nails, watches Link’s tongue dart out to lick his lips.

Rhett also loves the nights he gets to feed Link because first of all, Link has made it clear he can’t cook for himself, lives mostly off microwave dinners, which horrifies Rhett. But also Link is so...vocal. He mmmmmms and gasps. Takes his time on bites, sometimes eating with his hands, but always appreciative and effusive when Rhett shares something Link likes.

Rhett finds that there are plenty of things Link doesn’t like, but even those moments where Link pulls a face, or has to pick through a dish or even once stifles a gag when he gets a big old chunk of bleu cheese, Rhett is delighted, drinks in every moment.

Rhett knows by now he’s smitten. He knows what he wishes would happen; he wants to date Link, wants to kiss him, and hold him, peel his clothes off him and worship him until they are both exhausted, but Rhett knows what Link is capable of, he’s heard it, dreamt about it, and Rhett, with his limited experience and paralyzing anxiety about not being good enough, can’t bring himself to ruin what’s happening so far.

Rhett is sure it’s only a matter of time before Link gets bored and finds someone that will be who Link deserves, but Rhett wants to enjoy this incredible limbo while he can. 

Link invites Rhett out for drinks a few more times. Sometimes asks about Rhett’s dating life, but Rhett is evasive, turns the conversation back to Link. After a couple drinks, Link gets annoyed and asks directly if Rhett is seeing anyone. Rhett says no, but in the pregnant pause where a braver, smoother man would steer the conversation to romance, Rhett avoids eye contact and says something dumb and forgettable about the song that’s playing.

Rhett starts to hate himself, and Link seems to be losing patience. Rhett walks Link to his apartment one night and Link lingers at the door, fiddling with his lips and staring at Rhett’s mouth. Rhett steps back, mumbles 

“I know—I’m sorry. I want—but I can’t. I’d ruin it.”

Before Link can ask any questions or respond, Rhett bolts back to his apartment, trying to keep the frustrated tears from falling.

Rhett doesn’t hear from Link all week. He keeps checking his phone, but there’s never a text. He keeps trying to think of something to say, but has resigned himself to the fact that he’s blown it, this is just the painful transition from friends back to strangers, where Link will find the person he deserves and Rhett will go back to the way things were.

Rhett is spending another evening at home after a tough day at work. He’s doing his best to zone out until he can go to bed. His ears prick up at a familiar sound.

Rhett feels like crying when he recognizes Link’s voice, a shout of “yes! Please!”

There’s no mistaking the pleasure in those words. Rhett puts his headphones in, turns them all the way up, but no matter how painfully loud his music is, his whole body is focused on picking up the sounds from downstairs. He can’t avoid them, can’t ignore them. He also tries to ignore the sizable erection that’s presented itself, but it’s stubborn, so Rhett resolves to keep his hands away from it no matter how it pulses and aches.

Rhett finally throws the headphones onto the floor. They don’t help anyway, might as well get used to it. Besides, this feels like a fitting punishment, punishment for being too cowardly to even try with Link, too afraid to even kiss him…

“ _Rhett!”_

Rhett’s heart stops. He can’t. He must have heard wrong. Rhett is surprised to find he’s crawled to the window, has his jaw against the window sill, ears straining.

Rhett is up and out of the door before he can think of what he’s doing when he hears his name again “Please, Rhett, _yes!”_

Either Link is cruel beyond understanding, fucking someone else and using Rhett’s name, or he’s alone down there, desperate for him. The concentration of blood at Rhett’s groin means he doesn’t have much brain power to be anxious about what he plans to do before he is at Link’s door, banging his fist, as his heart pounds. 

Rhett thinks he might pass out until Link rips open the door. Link’s hair is messy, sticking straight up in most places. His cheeks are flushed and his eyes are shiny. He’s wearing a pair of gym shirts hastily put on, barely up over his hips and his impressive cock. Rhett is suddenly aware of his own ridiculous erection still present, pointing like an obscene compass towards Link.

“Oh thank God!”

Link leaps at Rhett, grasps Rhett by the back of his head and pulls him into the apartment. Link’s breath is hot but his lips are so soft, his tongue insistent and bold. Rhett allows Link to take charge of the kiss, wraps his long arms around Link, pulls him in tight.

Link pulls away and both men gasp for breath.

“Fuck, Rhett what took you so long?!”

“I’m sorry! I want you, want you so bad, but you—you’re so perfect and I’m terrible, I’ve only had sex with like three women and it was mostly boring, I don’t want to embarrass myself, you deserve better, I’ve never even kissed a man.”

“What?! Rhett how could you think—“

“I’m serious! But if this is the one time, before you never talk to me again the least I could do is stay still and let you do what you want…”

Link puts both hands on Rhett’s face. Some of the desperation is gone from his features, replaced by a softness Rhett hadn’t seen before.

“Hey, listen, Rhett. I want to fuck you, I do. Wanted to the first time I saw you at the mailboxes, but that’s not all I want from you. I like you—“

Rhett tries his best not to cry, buries his face in Link’s neck, inhales greedily at the smell of Link’s skin.

Link holds him like this for a few minutes, the passion and the pressure waned for now. Link walks Rhett over to the sofa, sits him down and then sits next to him.

“We don’t have to do anything tonight. But I didn’t understand why you would kiss me, or ask me out. I thought maybe you didn’t like me.”

Link speaks quietly, holding gently onto Rhett’s hand, the two men leaning into each other side by side, touching from ankle to hip, all along their arms.

“Oh Link. I like you... _so much.”_

Link hums happily and leans his head on Rhett’s shoulder. “Good. That’s ok then. We can go slow.”

“Ok...but...I kind of…”

Link turns and meets Rhett's gaze. He’s smiling. 

“Well, we can go slow, but not too slow.”

Rhett takes Link’s elbow and encourages him to straddle Rhett. Rhett can feel his cock twitching back to life, Half hard already. Link is seated up on Rhett’s hips, back arched and he’s quickly back to kissing Rhett. 

Rhett runs his hands all over Link’s back, ventures down to Link’s ass where he cups and squeezes, drawing a noise from the back of Link’s throat that makes Rhett shiver.

Rhett continues to kiss Link, becomes familiar with what he enjoys, and soon Link is moaning, grinding on Rhett’s lap. Rhett luxuriates in these sensations, this somehow feels so much better than any makeout he’s ever been a part of before. He could come like this, but doesn’t want that, not tonight.

Rhett whispers into Link’s ear “I want—I want to feel you...want to be inside you”

Link pauses and pulls back to stare deeply into Rhett’s eyes. “You sure?” Link whispers.

Rhett can’t nod his head fast enough.

Link untangles himself from Rhett’s grasp, gets up and leads Rhett to his bedroom. The sheets are mussed , and Rhett sees a dildo discarded on one side of the bed. Link follows his eyes and laughs.

“It wasn’t nearly as good as the real thing.”

Link encourages Rhett to lay back on the bed. Link stands again and slowly works his shorts down his legs. Rhett is mesmerized by Link’s cock; it’s long, a little thinner than his own, but gorgeous. It’s pink, bobs with Link shifting and moving, and Rhett only breaks eye contact with it when he hears Link laugh.

“I look forward to you getting familiar, but I have a couple things in mind. Is that ok?”

Rhett’s mouth is agape as he nods. Rhett watches as Link crawls up the length of him, leans down to kiss Rhett on the mouth, and then with his hands, and small kisses moves back down to Rhett’s waistband. 

Link pulls the pajama pants down slowly, biting his lip as Rhett’s cock springs free. Rhett’s cock is thick, and so desperate for stimulation that he startles when Link wraps his fingers around Rhett’s shaft.

“Oh, baby” Rhett breathes.

“You like that?” Link asks, crooked smirk as he begins moving his hand on Rhett’s dick, leans down to spit on it and lengthen his movements.

“Is it ok if I ride you, Rhett?”

Rhett’s eyes roll back in his head for a brief second. 

“Oh, please.”

Rhett understands that Link’s already done some work to prepare, with the dildo from before, but that doesn’t make it any less exquisite when, after rolling on a condom, Link kneels over him, and slowly sinks down onto Rhett’s cock, steadied by one of Rhett’s hands.

The two men share a moan and an exhale. Rhett is fascinated by watching Link breathe, entranced by the way Link’s dick bobs and moves, the way Link closes his eyes just a bit, shifting and moving to find the best position.

“Oh Link, oh God, you’re so perfect.”

Link’s smile is dreamy and his voice is soft, he hums in agreement, running his hands up and down Rhett’s chest, clasping their hands together as he begins moving and rocking his hips. 

Rhett does his best to last, but between the sight of Link, the gasps and hums that fall from his lips and the sensation and warmth around Rhett’s cock, things are coming to a glorious end soon. Rhett takes hold of Link’s cock and uses the precum dripping from it to stroke Link. 

He times the strokes with Link’s rocking, escalating in pace and intensity with Link’s movements and soon Rhett is proud to recognize the loud cries that brought them together so many nights ago. Rhett comes first, but Link comes shortly after, Rhett’s rougher baritone blending with Link’s voice. 

After cleaning up, the two fall asleep wrapped in each other. They sleep into the late morning and emboldened from the night before and drunk on holding Link as he slept, Rhett takes control, manhandling Link onto his front, and after making an impressive first showing of using his tongue to open Link up, fucks him hard with Link on his knees, Link buries his face in the pillows, mindful of the neighbors, but Rhett can’t help the cocky grin that spreads across his face as Link cries out for Rhett’s big fat cock.

  
  



End file.
